Naga

Naga is one of the largest and most important cities in the Bicol region, being its center of almost everything. It is the center of commerce in the province of Camarines Sur, and is the core of the organized Metro Naga.

Understand
Naga used to be known as Nueva Cáceres, after the city of the same name in Extremadura, Spain, and was one of the major cities during the Spanish rule in the Philippines.

It is home to the seat of the Archdiocese of Caceres, one of the oldest dioceses in the Philippines. The city is also the center of devotion to the Our Lady of Peñafrancia which is one of the largest Marian devotions in Asia.

Naga City is the economic, commercial, trade, tourism, medical, technological, religious, cultural, industrial, educational, financial, and social center of the Bicol Region. It is also Camarines Sur's most populous city. It is home to large international companies, high-rise hotels, and condominiums.

Known as the Convention City of Southern Luzon, Naga City is the cultural center of Bicol Region because of large convention centers, and most cultural food, festivals, and poetry are located in the city, as well as the second largest coliseum in the Philippines, the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum.

By plane
Naga's airport (and the only one in Camarines Sur) is in Pili, away. From the airport you need to walk to the main highway, where you can take a 30-minute jeepney or bus ride to get to the downtown, and costs. Cebgo flies to/from Cebu -Mactan Airport; Manila-Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Sunlight Air flies to/from Manila-Ninoy Aquino International Airport

By car
Naga City is by road from Manila, and is along Asian Highway 26.

By bus


Naga City has a good bus station, also the largest and busiest in the region. There are stalls selling local food and there are signs that direct you to bays serving buses that headed for a certain destination: e.g. to Manila, to Daet.

There are buses that travel to Naga City from Metro Manila via Lucena and the journey takes 8-10 hours.

By UV Express
There are UV Express vans which go to Naga from Legazpi, Daet and Tabaco.

UV Express arrive and depart at these terminals:

By ferry
To get to Virac in the Catanduanes Island you take a minivan from the Naga van terminal to Tabaco city (2 hours, ). A fast ferry departs Tabaco port every day at noon. The ferry takes 1.5 hours and the fare is.

Get around
Navigating Naga is easy by car. Public transportation is provided by pedicabs, jeepneys and tricycles (motorcycles with a sidecar). Taxis are available.

Historical landmarks

 * Calle Via Gainza, now Peñafrancia Avenue, used to be known as Via Gainza in honor of Bishop Francisco Gainza, O.P. (1863–1879), the 25th and considered as the greatest Spanish bishop of the See of Caceres.
 * Calle Real, now Elias Angeles Street, was one of the earliest streets in Spanish Nueva Caceres laid out at the close of the 16th century. The street figured as a historic backdrop to the events of September 1898, which established the Filipino revolutionary government headed by Elias Angeles.
 * Calle de Legazpi at the western portion of Panganiban Drive, was established in 1839 after the Naga River was straightened as a short cut from Calle Real to the new western bank of the river.
 * Casa Real site on General Luna Street. The Casa Real, the government building of Nueva Caceres, was established at this location in 1588.
 * Casa Tribunal site on Elias Angeles Street was the original site of the Casa Tribunal or "common house" which provided free rooms to travelers until 1839.
 * Casino Español site at the corner Elias Angeles and Arana Street, was the location of Casino Español, a spacious building of piedra china and wood that served as the social and recreational center of the male Spanish population of Nueva Caceres and neighboring towns.
 * House of Tomas Prieto site at the corner Panganiban Drive and Peñafrancia Avenue was the home of the Bicolano martyr, Tomas Prieto, who was executed on January 4, 1897 at the Bagumbayan Field in Manila together with ten others, collectively known as the "Bicol Martyrs."
 * The Naga City Police Station on Barlin Street was the site of the Cuartel General of the Guardia Civil in Camarines that was constructed in 1870, but was razed by fire caused by faulty electrical wiring.
 * Puente de Naga, now Lt. Delfin Rosales Bridge, the massively designed concrete bridge was constructed in 1847 and was known as Puente de Naga, and until the 1920s when the bridge was renamed in honor of Bicolano Jose Maria Panganiban. It was renamed again in 1989, to honor Lt. Delfin C. Rosales in World War II, during the battle for Naga in April 1945.

Monuments




Museums

 * The Holy Rosary Minor Seminary Museum showcases Bicol's ancient relics and artifacts like burial jars, ancient china wares, rare stones and ritual objects. The museum also features local church history where old Church vestiges and sacred objects are displayed.
 * The Penafrañcia Museum contains sacred vestiges related to Marian devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
 * The University of Nueva Caceres Museum is one of the oldest museums outside Manila and recognized by the International Association of Museum. It houses historical artifacts of the ancient Bikol, its people and culture.
 * Bicol Science and Technology Centrum is a science museum established in 1993 in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology to cater to the science and technology education for the young, professionals, teachers andenthusiasts alike. It features an exhibit of interactive gadgets, a skywatch gallery, a sci-cubby hole for the kids, an audio-visual room and a cybercafé for internet users.
 * The Naga City Art Gallery, established by the Salingoy Art Group in partnership with the Naga City government, houses traditional and contemporary art works of Bicolano artists.
 * The Mariel Daculoo's Art Gallery, was established by American friar named Fr. Kris B. Amador in 2014 in partnership with the 555 yuna foundation, Their gallery are more about ancient, nature, etc.

Do

 * Naga City Civic Center Swimming pool fee per person. Cottages.
 * Wakeboarding at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC)
 * The Panicuason Hot Springs, in Barangay Panicuason, is a 15-minute drive up Mt. Isarog's slopes. There are about five pools with different temperatures, which are surrounded by lush foliage of a tropical rainforest.

Buy




Stay healthy

 * Bicol Medical Center. DOH Hospital. BMC Road, Concepcion Pequeña, Naga City. phone +63 54-4723434.
 * Social Hygiene Clinic. City Health office. City hall Compound. free STD/HIV testing.

Cope

 * Bureau of Immigration Naga Office. 2nd Floor. Phonecian Building. Panganiban Drive. Corner of Isarog Street.

Go next

 * Daet
 * Virac
 * Legazpi City
 * Lucena
 * As the center of commerce in Camarines Sur, Naga City serves as the hub for other cities and municipalities in the province. The Central Bus Terminal offers one the means to get to other areas of Camarines Sur. One may take buses or filcabs. Buses make frequent stops to every town they pass through to pick up passengers. Filcabs are vans whose original seats are removed and refitted to accommodate more passengers. They are usually faster way to get to your destination but they have a practice of filling up all the seats before they leave.
 * Buses from Naga City to Manila normally start from 5:30AM. Ask to be routed through Pasay City or nearby EDSA for more convenient travel to downtown Manila.